As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Why Did I Choose to Join Activcore?

December 17, 2022

When I was first accepted into physical therapy school, my goal was to work in an outpatient orthopedic setting. I envisioned treating highly motivated athletes with the latest technologies so that I could provide a meaningful change in their lives. The first two years of my doctorate level program emphasized academics and research. The third (and final) year emphasized clinical learning through 4 different clinical rotations. Fortunately for me, my last rotation was at Activcore.

When I first entered the facility I knew this was going to be different from my previous rotations. I remember meeting my Clinical Instructor and walking into a large room with so many red ropes hanging from the ceiling. My first few days were spent primarily observing the staff and learning how the body works as a whole. While physical therapy school gave me a basic foundation in assessing and treating patients, I remember going into this clinical affiliation with a lack of confidence when working with patients who didn't respond to conventional physical therapy methods.

After observing a few treatments, I found the physical therapists at Activcore making connections within the body in ways I hadn’t learned in PT school. They assessed their clients like I had never seen before. First and foremost, they always looked at the whole body from head to toe, regardless of the condition or diagnosis.

How could the hips, pelvis and inner thighs possibly affect someone coming in with neck pain? How does working the serratus anterior muscle provide a clinically significant change to someone’s hip stability with every step they take while walking? This was the start of when things really began to click for me. My confidence as a clinician soared with every positive outcome.

At that moment I knew that I wanted to work in a place like this. The team environment provided me opportunities to learn from experts in the industry. The one-on-one treatment setting gave me time to develop and refine my skills. The Redcord suspension system allowed me to correct muscle imbalances as the underlying root cause of so many ailments.

Fast forward 8 years from my graduation as a Doctor of Physical Therapy. I have been working at Activcore since obtaining my PT license. The client-focused model has helped me deliver the quality treatments I had always envisioned. This was the reason why I became a physical therapist in the first place.

If you would like me to show you what I've learned over these years, please contact Activcore Bernardsville.

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this article are based on the opinion of the author, unless otherwise noted, and should not be taken as personal medical advice. The information provided is intended to help readers make their own informed health and wellness decisions.

Dr. Jason Goncalves

Physical Therapist
Dr. Jason Goncalves is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who specializes in sports injury rehabilitation, orthopedics and complex pain syndromes. He works at Activcore in Bernardsville, New Jersey.‍ He is a leading authority in suspension based physical therapy. He is also a TPI certified golf practitioner who helps athletes overcome pain and movement limitations, both on and off the green.
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